Necticut



C. A. RENHOLDT.

PULL SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED APB-71.1917.

Patented Dec.13, 1921.

UNITED STATES PATENT CFHQ CHARLES A. RENHOLDT, F BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, ASSZGNOR TO THE BRYANT ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF BRIDGEPORT,

NECTICUT.

CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CON- PULL-SWITCH.

Application filed April 7,

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, Gumtree A. RnNHoLD'r, a citizen of the United States of America, and residing at Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented a certain new and useful Improve ment in Pull-Switches, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to electric pull switches and the object of my invention is to provide an improved switch mechanism of simple construction embodying certain features of novelty hereinafter described or illustratively embodied in one form in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a broken elevation of a pendant switch;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the switch body at right angles to Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the switch body from the side opposite that shown in Fig. 1;

Figs. 4 and 5 are cross sections on the lines 4-4 and 5-5, Fig. 2, respectively;

Fig. 6 is an elevation of one portion of the insulating body with the metal parts removed;

Fig. 7 is a detached perspective of the operating mechanism of the switch; and

Fig. 8 is an elevation of the other insulating body piece of the switch, with the switch terminals in place.

In the form here shown the mechanism to which my invention relates is embodied in a switch of the pendant type comprising a metallic casing having interlatching cap 10 and shell 11 lined with insulating 12 and having at one end a bushing 13 through which the lead wires are introduced to the switch and at the other end a bell 14 through which the pull chain 15 is guided. Within the casing is contained the insulating switch body comprising buttons 16 and 17 of porcelain or other insulating material rounded on their outer faces to conform to the contour of the metallic casing, but flat on their opposed faces which are spaced apart by the standards 18, 19 and 20 to afford space forthe switch mechanis a. The standard 18 is secured at one end by a screw 21 passing through a wire terminal plate 22 let into a recess 23 on the outer face of button 17. Beneath the offset end of the standard 18 is clamped. the switch terminal 24. The stand- Speeification of Letters Patent.

1917. Serial No. 160,475.

ard 19 is secured at one end by the screw 25 which passes through the wire terminal plate 26 on button 16. The opposite end Oll this standard is secured to button 17 by screw 27 which passes through the strap 28 let into a recess in the outer face of button 17 and con nected by a rivet 29 to the base of the other switch terminal 30 so that a connection from wire terminal 26 is established through standard 19 and strap 28 to switch terminal 30.

The two switch terminals 24 and 30 are arranged on diametrically opposite sides of a generally circular boss formed on the inner face of the button 17 and comprising four symmetrically-arranged, ratchet-like teeth 31 spaced apart by depressions 32. The terminals 24 and 30 lie in opposite depressions 32 and are provided with upstanding inclined flanges 33 which rise to the height of the adjacent ratchet-like tooth 31. The incline of the flanges 33 is substantially followed in the inclination 34 rising from the depressions 32 to the top of the ratchet teeth 31 lying between the switch terminals.

The switch bar 35 comprises a bridge piece spanning the switch terminals 24 and 30 in on position and lying in the interposed recesses 32 in its off position. It is mounted freely on switch spindle 36 and is actuated by the switch spring to make and break contact with a snap action. One end of the spring 37 engages the switch bar 35, and the opposite end a crown piece 38 fast on spindle 36 and having arms 39 which afford points of engagement for the ratchet teeth 40 carried by the oscillatory operating plate 41 of insulatingmaterial on which is supported the chain rail 42. The plate 41 is journaled on the switch spindle 36 and. is subjected to the action of the return spring 43, the opposite end or" which is engaged by an abutment thirnble 44 having a rectangular head 45 seated in correspondingly shaped recess 46 in the inner face oi the button 16 and having a cross slot 47 for the reception of a screw driver or the like entering through the passage 48 so that the thimble may be displaced longitudinally on the spindle 36, the tension of the spring 43 adjusted and the head reseated in its recess 46 to maintain the tension at the degree desired.

The snap action of the switch is secured Patented Dec. 13, 1921.

by the detaining engagement of the sharply standing cam wings 50 which engage oppositely cammed wings 51 on the switch bar 35. The pairs of cams 50 and 51 on the cup 49 and switch bar 35 respectively are of such pitch that upon a quarter-turn of the spindle 36 the switch bar is lifted by the cams 50 out of the depressions 32. It is thereby freed from the detaining engagement of the inclines 34 and moves to sueceeding position under the influence of the tensioned spring 37. As the switch bar moves to its next position its arms run down the inclined faces of the ratchet teeth 31 and fall into the succeeding pair of recesses 32 where they are halted not only by their engagement with the sharp inclines 33 or 34, but also by the engagementof the cam flanges 51 with the shoulders 52 formed by the cutting away of the side of the cup 49 to form the cams 50 thereof.

The method of mounting the cam piece 49 upon the spindle 36 is immaterial, a simple method being illustrated by forming a flat 53 on the side of the spindle 36 which takes into a corresponding aperture in the base of the cup 49. The spindle is retained on button 17 by passing through hole 54 in the latter into a recess 55 formed in the outer face thereof, where it is engaged by a split washer 56. A hearing washer 57 for the cam piece 49 may be seated in a recess 58 at the base of the well 59 in which the cam 49 rotates.

The operation of the switch is readily understood. In normal condition, the parts take the position indicated, with the operating plate 41 halted against the spacing standard 19. V7 hen the pull chain 15 is actuated, the spindle 36 is rotated with the crown piece 38, thus placing the switch spring 37 under tension since the switch bar 35 is temporarily detained by its engage ment with the inclines 33 or 34. On this rotation of the spindle 36, however, the cam piece 49, fast thereon, is simultaneously rotated thus causing the switch bar 35 to rise until it is free of the detaining inclines or 34, whereupon it is snapped by the spring 37 to its succeeding position. As the switch bar rotates, it is depressed by spring 37 so that it'runs down the inclines of the ratchet teeth 31 and falls into the interposed channels 32, Where it is halted until. the succeeding actuation of the chain again causes a repetition of the operations just described and the consequent advance of the contact bar to its next operation.

Various modifications in details of construction and arrangements of parts will readily occur to those skilled in the art without departing from what I claim as my invention.

I claim 1. In an electric switch, a rotary switch bar, an insulating base having bosses forming detents, switch contacts arranged on said base and shaped to form detents spaced from said bosses, cams on said switch bar, and a rotary lifting cam member coiiperating with said cams on the switch bar to lift the same over said detents.

2. In an electric switch, a rotary switch bar, an insulating base having bosses forming detents, switch contacts arranged on said base and shaped to form detents spaced from said bosses, cams on said switch bar, and a rotary lifting cam member cooperating with said cams on the switch bar to lift the same over said detents, together with a torsion spring engaging said switch box to impart a positive forward throw thereto after it is freed from said detents by the cooperating cams.

3. In an electric switch, a rotary switch bar, an insulating base having bosses forming detents engaged by said switch bar, a

rotary spindle on which said switch bar is freely ournaled and a cam arranged on said spindle between said base and switch bar, and a cooperating cam on the switch bar for displacing the latter longitudinally on the spindle to free it from said detents;

4. In an electric switch, a rotary switch bar having oflset cam shaped wings, a base having bosses constituting detent means engaged by he outer ends of the switch bar and means engaging said cam wings to shift the switch bar out of engagement with said detent means.

5. In an electric switch, a switch spindle,

a cam fast thereon comprising a cup-shaped body having its sides cut away to form cam V wings, in combination with a rotary switch bar journaled on said spindle and detent means engaging said switch bar and from which the latter is freed by the action of said cam.

6. In an electric switch, a rotary switch bar havng offset cam shaped wings, a spindle on which said bar is freely journaled, detent means engaging said switch bar and cam means on the spindle engaging said cam wings on the switch bar to free the latter from the detent means. 7 i

7. In an electric switch, a rotary switch bar having offset cam shaped wings, a spindle onwhichsaid bar is freely journaled,

cam means on the spindle engaging said cam wings in the switch bar to free the latter from the detent means, said cam means on the spindle comprising a cup-shaped member having its side walls cut away to afford cam wings engaging the cam wings on the switch bar.

8. In an electric switch, a rotary switch bar having cam wings, an insulating base having a toothed boss on which said switch bar rests and by the teeth of which it is detained, and rotary cam means engaging the cam wings of the switch bar for positively shifting the switch bar away from the base and out of engagement with the detaining faces of said teeth.

9. In an electric switch, a rotary switch bar having cam wings, switch terminals bridged thereby, said terminals having a contact area and on one side thereof detent flanges engaged by the switch bar, together with rotary cam means engaging the cam wings of the switch bar for positively shifting said bar away from the base and out of detaining engagement with said flanges.

10. In an electric switch, an insulating base recessed to form a well and having a toothed boss surrounding said well, a rotary switch bar resting upon said boss and detained by the teeth thereof, said switch bar having cam wings entering said well in the base, in combination with cam means arranged in said well and cooperating with said cam wings for shifting the switch bar out of detaining engagement with said teeth, for the purpose described.

11. In an electric switch, an insulating base having a toothed boss with depressed areas between adjacent teeth, and a rotary switch piece engaging said boss and detained in a position of rest in said depressed areas, cam wings on said switch bar, together with cam means engaging the cam wings on the switch bar for lifting said switch bar out of said depressed areas to free it from detainin engagement therein.

12. In an electric switch, a pair of insulating buttons spaced apart to accommodate the switch mechanism, a pair of bosses on the inner face of one of said buttons, a pair of switch terminals alternating with said bosses, a pair of wire terminals mounted one on the outer face of each of said buttons, and means for electrically connecting said wire terminals with the respective switch terminals, a rotary switch piece alternately engaging and detained by said bosses and switch terminals, a switch spindle upon which said switch bar is freely journaled, a switch spring tensioned by the rotation of said spindle during the detention of said switch bar by said detents, and cam means on said spindle for shifting said switch bar longitudinally of the spindle out of de taining engagement with said detents to said spindle for displacing said switch bar longitudinally on the spindle to free it from said detents.

14. An electric switch comprising a rotary switch bar, an insulating base having alternate bosses and switch terminals thereon shaped to form detents engaged by said switch bar, a rotary spindle on which said switch bar is freely journaled, and a cam on said spindle for displacing said switch bar longitudinally on the spindle to free it from said detents, together with a cam on said switch bar cooperating with the cam on the spindle.

15. An electric switch comprising a rotary switch bar having arcuate cam flanges, an insulating base having alternate bosses and switch terminals thereon shaped to form detents engaged by the body of the switch bar, a rotary spindle on which said switch bar is freely journaled and a cam on said spindle having cam wings cooperating with the cams on the switch bar for displacing the latter longitudinally on the spindle to free it from said detents.

16. In an electric switch, a switch bar having ofi'set arcuate cam lugs, detents engaging the body of said switch bar, a spindle on which said switch bar is freely journaled and a hub fast with said spindle and having arcuate cam teeth engaging the cam lugs on the switch bar and serving on the rotation of the spindle to shift the switch bar longitudinally of the spindle out of engagement with its detents, said hub having stop. faces engaged by said cam lugs on the switch bar to halt the latter after partial rotation, substantially as described.

17. In an electric switch, a rotary switch bar, a course having alternate conductive and non-conductive detaining rises over which the switch bar rides, and ratchetoperated mechanism for rotating the switch bar, said mechanism including cam means for lifting the switch bar over the rises of its course.

18. In an electric switch, a rotary switch bar, a course having alternate conductive and. non-conductive detaining rises over which the switch bar rides, and ratchetoperated mechanism for rotating the switch bar, said mechanism including cam means for lifting the switch bar over the rises of its course, and torsion spring means for rapidly advancing the bar on its course after it has reached the rise crest.

reached the rise crests, and to force it down:

ward on its course into engagement with the successive detainlng rlses.

20. In a switch, a rotary switch bar having cam wings, a hill and valley course 15 traveled thereby, alternate conductors and non-conductors at succeeding rises, cam means engaging the cam Wings of the switch bar element to lift it with lagging action over the rise and a torsion spring engaging 20 said switch bar and serving on the escape of the bar from the rise to impart a rapid forward impulse to the bar. In testimony whereof I have signed my nameto this specification.

CHARLES A. RENHOLDT. 

